Belarus Free Theatre: New Plays from Central Europe: The VII International Contest of Contemporary Drama

The International Contest of Contemporary Drama (ICCD ) was set up by Belarus Free Theatre to encourage new writing and topromote Belarusian cultural identity on an international stage with the participation of artists around Europe. Belarusian playwrights, banned within their own country but recognised for their workoutside, have the opportunity to show their work in Belarus. It also includes the work of foreign playwrights in an international cultural context, and in which Belarus would have its place for the first time.

The ICCD has produced playwrights such as Anna Yablonskaya, Aleksey Shcherbak, and Pavel Pryazhko - whose plays have been produced at the Royal Court Theatre - and brothers Mikhail and Vyatcheslav Durnenekov who have written for the Royal ShakespeareCompany. The contest, one of the top three of its kind in central Europe, has enjoyed success since its conception in 2005, garnering critical acclaim, but was discontinued in 2010 due to a lack of funds. 2014 is the first year it has been held in a free country. In previous years it was held underground in Belarus, hidden from the authorities.BFT have now reinstated this contest, and increased the diversity of participants in order to include Belarusians who remain isolated because of the state policy on internet censorship and media control. This publication is dedicated to promoting the works of the winning playwrights, and is published to coincide with an award ceremony at the Young Vic Theatre in London.

In 2014, BFT received 523 submissions from 12 participating countries: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, USA, Germany, UK, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Estonia. The winning plays in this collection are in 3 main categories: Best Full-Length Play; Best Experimental Writing for Theatre/Short Play; Best Adaptation of a Classic Text; plus a special award, The Tom Stoppard Award for Best Debut.

The ICCD, and Belarus Free Theatre: New Plays from Central Europe, reconnects the Belarusian people with their independent artistic voice and their cultural identity within a European context.

Medved / The Bear - WINNER Adaptation of a Classic Text

Signals of Reconciliation - WINNER Full-Length Play

Radio Culture - WINNER Experimental Writing for Theatre/Short Play

Prestige - WINNER Tom Stoppard Award for Best Debut

Natalia Kaliada is a co-artistic director and producer of Belarus Free Theatre alongside her husband Nicolai. Natalia has been detained three times for participation in peaceful political and theatrical activities. Her father, Professor Andrei Kaliada, was dismissed from the Academy of the Arts for cooperation with Belarus Free Theatre and was physically attacked as a result; the criminal investigation case on it was closed down. Nicolai Khalezin is a co-artistic director of Belarus Free Theatre, playwright and journalist. Nicolai was arrested four times for participation in peaceful political protest rallies and theatrical activities. His plays are forbidden to be staged in Belarus.